Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-03-10
Our Columbus Letter.
(From Our Regular Correspondent.)
COLUMBUS, O., March Sth, 1881

arranged at previous session of the Mana
gers, to see which Of the companies present
ed the best appearance, and the two that did
to have flag presented to them. This per-
haps was all proper enough; but here is where
the laugh comes in, and shows that there is a
want of discipline there, and that it is one of
the things of the past, especially in the fe-
male department: About II o'clock the fe-
male prisoners deliberately and candidly
informed the Matron that they would not do
any more work until they had "seen the dress
parade" The Matron said they must attend
to their work, and that they could not see the
dress parade. They replied to her: No work
then, and work they wouldn't. The Matron
was in dilemma, because of her incapacity.
She sent for the Warden, and told him what
the female prisoners had said and did. What
did he do? Make them go to work as he
should have done? No; he had them marched
into the yard, where they could see the dress
parade, and where they cheered and yelled at
the male prisoners as they marched past
them. If a revolt takes place soon in the
Penitentiary under the present management,
your readers need not be surprised.
THE DOW LAW.
Several efforts have been made to amend
the Dow Law during the present adjourned
session of the Legislature, but so far they
have proved fruitless, and are likely to con-
tinue to run in the same channel. The ma
iority of the Republican members are in IA
vor of amending the law, but they are out
voted on every occasion by the Republican
members from the cities, who have made
political contracts with the liquor dealers.
The Democratic members are opposed to all
kinds of fanatical legislation, and favor Ii
cense law to regulate the liquor traffic, and
almost without exception oppose any legis-
lation on the subject, unless it is in favor of
constitutional amendment granting a Ii
cense law to regulate the liquor traffic. But
the Republican members, who are trying
to keep the temperance and liquor vote both
in their party, have started a very ridiculous
story on the outside of the Legislature, where
they think it will not be replied to or noticed,
that in counties where the Democrats are in
control, the county officers are permitting
persons to sell liquor without paying the
Dow law tax, they knowing that it is done.
We will venture the assertion that bigger
falsehood was never told; and that the dirty
sneaks who are circulating the falsehood,
know that sit is lie made out of whole
cloth"
A subject which is attracting more than
ordinary attention among members of the
Legislature, is tax-dodging, or how to get
property which is taxable on the tax dupli-
cate. That there are thousands if not mil
lions of dollars of such property in Ohio, no
one who has given the subject study, doubts
But how will it be got on the duplicate? A
great many members favor the idea of pass
ing law, introduced by Col. Poorman, au-
thorizing the Commissioners of each county
to appoint a secret officer for the purpose of
hunting it up. They claim that ifthis is done,
not only will the tax duplicate be greatly in
creased, but the rates of taxation can be re-
duced. But will this LIE gislature pass such
law? We shall see.
bill which abolishes the contract labor
system at the Ohio Penitentiary, and requires
the convicts to be employed in making cloth
ing, furniture and such articles as may be
used in the State institutions and the differ
ent county inirmaries, and requiring the
Stewards or purchasing officers, to purchase
such goods as are made in the Penitentiary,
came very near passing the House, having re-
ceived 81 votes. The vote being-yeas, Dem
ocrats ~, Republicans 25 nays, Democrats
4, Republicans 23 1t is thought that mo-
tion will be made to reconsider the vote, and
that it will eventually pass and become law.
If it does prison labor will not come so
much in contact with free labor as it now
does.
The money appropriated by this session of
the Legislature, for general expenses, amounts
to, more than $3,0OO,oOO, and yet they are not
done appropriating. The Republican major
ity in this Legislature think no more Of an
propriating $4,000 to any pet measure of
theirs than they do of taking square |
meal at the Neil or Park Hotels, when they |
are invited by friend or acquaintance to do |
SO, as nearly all of them rent cheap rooms |
and take their hash at some cheap restaurant.
Charley Vallandigham, the degenerate son
of his honored Democratic father, who has
been retained as Chief Clerk of the Senate
by the Republican majority of that body, for
services rendered them and Bob. Kennedy,
has made clean flop, and gone over to the
Republican party, by announcing himself as
in favor of John Sherman for President and
Foraker for Governor. Shades of 1868 and
ten cent contributions The renegade, who
was raised and educated by these contribu-
tons, to desert the Democratic friends of his
honored fatherl Could. degeneracy or in
gratitude be more base?
A bill to increase the Governors salary
from $4,000 to $4,000 . year, has passed the
House, and will no doubt pass the Senate at |
that amount, or not less than 5000 year.
This increase is right, and the next Governor.
who will be q Democrat, will receive some-
thing. like decent salary for presiding over
the third State in the Union.
The members of the Legislature who went
to Washington during the tri-weekly ad-
journment, returned to their seats in good
time, and all of them, without regard to par
ty, speak in the highest terms of their trip
and the sights they saw and the entertain
ment they received in that city. The Demo-
cratic members were more than delighted
with the cordial mannar thev xraro trsatod h., |